Heat insulation



May 30, 1961 A. SCHNITT ETAL HEAT INSULATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May'21, 1956 May 30, 1961 Filed May 21, 1956 A. SCHNITT ET AL 2,986,247

HEAT INSULATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZZZZ FIG 7 W I VWVVV W 2/ W INVENTORSA R THUR SCI/NI 7'7- fzlo 05L 0 #s/vz/ 2,986,247 HEAT INSULATION ArthurSchnitt, Buffalo, and Ezio P. De Lorenzi, Snyder,

N.Y., assignors to Bell Aerospace Corporation, Wheatfield, N.Y.

Filed May 21, 1956, Ser. No. 586,072

3 Claims. (Cl. 189-88) This invention relates generally to the heatinsulator art, and more'specifically to a new and useful heatshieldedpanel construction wherein a protective metal sheathing secondary to abasic structure functions as a heat shielding mechanism to the basicstructure and protects the same against high temperatures such as might.

be encountered by virtue of radiation, friction'or conduction, whichsheathing must have multi-directional expansion characteristics in orderto avoid distortion,

of the basic structure.

. A primary object of this invention is to provide a heatshielded panelconstruction as aforesaid wherein the protective sheathing is mountedfor expansion'movements relative to the. basic'structure both lengthwiseand widthwise, as well as toward and away from the basic structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a heat-shieldedpanel construction using a number of substantially identical protectivesheathing units or componentsso interrelated and connected to the basicstructure as to provide each unit with the desired multidirectionalexpansion and contraction characteristics, while causing the assembledunits to function as an overall protective. sheathing.

It is also .an'object of the invention to provide a heatshielded panelconstruction having the aforesaid characteristics and which isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive to fabricate, easy tohandle and readily assembled and disassembled by relatively unskilledlabor, whilebeing rugged and durable in operation and extremely flexibleand adaptable to difierent installations.

A heat-shielded panel construction in accord with this invention ischaracterized by protective sheathing, and a novel mounting arrangementsupporting the sheathing in heat-shielding relation to the basicstructure and enabling the sheathing to expand and contract lengthwise,widthwise and toward and away from the basic structure withoutdistorting the same.

- .The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizingfeatures of a heat-shielded panel construction in accord with thisinvention will become clearly apparent from the. ensuing detaileddescription of a presently preferred embodiment thereof taken togetherwith the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification andshowing such embodiment wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a heat-shielded panel construction inaccord with the invention, certain parts being broken away to showdetails thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof partly in section and withcertain parts broken away to show details;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof taken at aboutright angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the protective' sheathingillustrating with broken lines a detail of the mounting thereof;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showthe expansionjoint between adjacent sheathing'units;

2,986,247 Patented May 30, 1961 Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on anenlarged scale,

.. about alongline VIVI ofFig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing another embodimentof the principles. ofconstruction,

shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken alongline VIII-VIII of Fig. 7.

A presently preferred embodiment of the heat-shielded.

construction according to this invention comprises one or moreprotective sheathing units generally designated I mounted on a primaryor basic structure 2 in spaced,

heat-shielding relation thereto by means including mounting membersgenerally designated 3 at the opposite ends.

thereof.

The basic structure 2 is the structure for which protection from heat issought and thereforecan assume any number of different forms. However,the protective sheathing preferably is in the form of separatesubassembly components or units 1, as shown in the drawing, which unitscan be used singly or with any number of,

other units as required by a particular installation.

The protective sheathing units 1 are preferably identical sheet materialfabrications, each preferably, al-

though not necessarily comprising a substantially flab sheet metal outerpanelmember 5 and a corrugated sheet metal panel member 6 securedthereto on the underside thereof as by welding, or the. like. 'Thisprovides a reinforced protective sheathing of double walled, coredconstruction.

Each sheathing unit 1 is mounted on the basic structure 2 in spacedheat-shielding relation thereto by means of mounting members 3 whichcomprise bridge-like members extending transversely of the sheathingunit adjacent the opposite endsthereof. Members 3 are of inverted,generally U-shaped cross section and have longitudinally spaced pairs oflegs 8 adjacent the opposite ends thereof. Legs 8 are provided withterminal flange portions forming feet 9 'which bear against the basicstructure 2' and which are secured thereto as by rivets 10.

The top wall 12 of each mounting member 3 has down-turned terminalflanges 13 at the opposite ends.

thereof and crater-like portions 14 of inverted, frustoconical formintermediate said ends, said portions 14 being stamped or otherwiseformed and having open bottoms.

As previously ,noted, mounting members 3 extendlaterally of thesheathing units 1 adjacent the opposite. ends thereof. The opposite endsof sheathing units 15 rest on the. members 3 and as clearly illustratedin Fig.

3 each mounting member'S is adapted to support in. bridging relation theadjacent ends of two sheathing units 1v arranged in end-to-end relation.

The sheathing units 1 are loosely held on mounting members 3 by holdermeans in the form of clamping plates 16 carried by spacer members 17.The spacer members 17 have a raised center boss-formation19 ter-1minating at opposite sides thercofin tab portions 20 which' are securedto the top wall 12 of member 3 as by rivets. 21 and have short edgeflange side reinforcing formations throughout. The raised center bossportion 19 of each member 17 has a slot 22 formed therein and elongatedlongitudinnaly of the mounting member 3.

The raised central boss portion 19 of each spacer mem ber 17 receives afloating anchor member 24 to which a clamping plate 16 is secured by abolt device 25. Members 24 each have an enlarged, generally rectangularcollar 26 of a width greater than the width of slots 22 which bearsagainst the boss 19 of spacer member 17 on the underside thereof. Anchormembers 24 also have a portion 27 extending through slot 22 andterminating in an. annular flange 28 against which clamping plate 16bears. Each bolt device 25- is provided with a tapered aken adapted tobe received in countersunk openings 29 in clamping plates 16, wherebyupon threading bolt devices 25 into the anchor members '24 each mountingplate 16 is secured to its spacer members 17.

To provide a fiush finished assembly. the sheathing units 1 are formedto provide end portions 30 of reduced thickness, which can beaccomplished by simply slightly crushing the opposite ends of thesheathing'units. The clamping plates 16 fit within the,recessed uppersurfaces of end portions 30 and therefore are flush with the top of eachunit 1.

In this way, each sheathing unit 1 is mounted in spaced relation to thebase structure 2 to shield the latter from excessive heat. At the sametime, members 3 and the spacing members 17 thereon are spaced apartslightly further than the normal length of each unit 1, and the spacingbetween the underside of plates 16 and the top. wall 12 of mountingmember 3 exceeds the thickness of the reduced thickness end portions 30of units 1, whereby the units 1 can expand and contract in a lengthwisedirection without distorting even the mounting members 3 and spacingmembers 17, and are free to expand and contract toward and away from thebasic structure 2. The units are free to expand and contract in asidewise direction because of only the clamping action of plates 16which also can move relative to mounting members 3 lengthwise thereof.Also, it will be appreciated that by reason of the fact that the jointsbetween adjacent outer skin sheets 5 are not pressure-sealed, any airpressure changes externally thereof will be transmitted to the interiorof the space between the panel strucures 1 and 2; thereby relieving theouter panel 1 of incident stresses such as are more effectively borne bythe basic panel 2.

It is also a particular feature of the invention that a coolant fluidmay be fed through passages within or attached to the inner panel toabsorb the greatly reduced heat flow to the inner panel. The flow ofcoolant fluid through the structure is controlled by the configurationof the structural components interiorly thereof, and may be furthercontrolled by placing some suitable cellular or wick-like material suchas asbestos or glass wool, in the open interior portions of thestructure, as indicated at 40 (Fig. 2). The outwardly facing metalsurface portions of the various components of the structure may be ofpolished form to reduce initial heat absorption by the structure.

To hold each unit 1 against sliding sidewise oft its mounting members 3,the corrugated panel 6 of each unit 1 carries adjacent one end thereof aplate 31 having an opening 32 therein. Opening 32 is adapted to looselyreceive a pin 33 welded or otherwise secured to one side wall of eachmounting member 3 to extend upwardly above the top wall 12 thereof,whereby each unit 1 is held against undesired sidewise displacementwhile remaining free to expand and contract lengthwise, sidewise andtoward and away from the basic structure 2.

It will be appreciated that the crater-like formations 14 facilitatehandling of the anchor members 24 and avoid interference thereof withthe top wall 12 of mounting members 3. If desired a single, centrallypositioned crater formation as shown at 14 can be used with only onebolt device 25 being used to anchor the adjacent sheathing units 1 inposition on each mounting member 3.

A significant advantage of the heat-shielded panel construction of thisinvention is that the same comprises identical mounting and sheathingunits which can be formed as separate components and then assembled inany combination as required by a particular installation.

Where a number of sheathing units 1 are used in sideby-side relation,they are jointed together by an expansion joint permitting the aforesaidexpansion and contraction movements and comprising a return bent andinwardly directed U-shaped portion 34 formed along one side of panelmember 5 of each unit on the underside thereof which is adapted toslip-fit into an inwardly &-

set and reversely directed U-shaped portion 35 formed along the oppositeside of panel member of each unit on the top side thereof. In this way,adjacent sheathing units 1 are readily slip-fitted into an assembledrelation providing the expansion joints 34, 35 which insulate the basicstructure 2 while avoiding interference with the desired expansion andcontraction movements. Mounting members 3 and clamping plates 16 arearranged in spaced apart relation and it will be noted that even wheremultiple units are used, each individual unit 1 functions as a separateentity insofar as expansion and contraction movements are concerned,while cooperating with the other units to provide therewith a heatshielding sheathmg.

It is also a significant feature of the heat-shielded panel constructionof this invention that, because sheathing units 1 are only looselyinterconnected by the expansion joints 34, and are only loosely held onmounting members 3 by plates 16 and spacer members 17, which latterelements comprise expansion joints between the unit ends, heat transferby conduction between adjacent units 1 and between units 1 and members 3is much less than would be the case if more solid joints were used.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the same structuralprinciple, wherein the protective panel 1 and its corrugated stiffener 6are supported relative to I the basic structure 2 by means of mountingmembers 50 each of which comprises a pair of formed metal brackets 5?,52sectionally shaped as shown in Fig. 8 and welded together as indicatedat 54, 56. The members SL-SZ are shaped at their upper ends to providechannel-like holding portions into which the marginal edges of thepanels 1 are slip-fitted, to obtain the lateral expansioncontractionflexibility referred to hereinabove. As shown in Fig. 7, the legs of thesupport members 50 may be headed as indicated at 58 to stiffen them.

Accordingly, the heat-shielded panel construction of this inventionfully accomplishes the aforesaid objects, and it is believed that thesame has application in virtually any commercial field where hightemperatures and/ or frictional heats might be encountered. While onlytwo embodiments are shown in detail herein, it is not intended that theinvention necessarily be limited thereto and it is believed that variousmodifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully disclosed and completely described our invention, togetherwith its mode of operation, what we claim as new is:

1. A heat-shielded panel construction comprising a base structure,mounting members mounted on said base structure, said mounting membersincluding outer surfaces positioned remote from said base structure, aplurality of sheathing units mounted on said mounting members, spacermembers supported on the outer surfaces of said mounting members andincluding outer portions positioned remote from said base structure,clamping plate means carried by the outer portions of said spacermembers and including outer surfaces positioned remote from said basestructure, the end portions of said sheathing units being of reducedthickness to provide recesses thereat, said clamping plate means fittingwithin said recesses to provide a flush upper surface of the sheathingunits and clamping plate means, said spacer members being spaced apart adistance greater than the normal length of each of said sheathing units,and the outer surfaces of said clamping plate means being spaced fromthe outer surfaces of said mounting members by a distance greater thanthe normal thickness of the reduced end portions of the sheathing units,whereby the sheathing units can expand and contract in a lengthwisedirection and are further free to expand and contract toward nad awayfrom the base structure.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said clamping plate means ismounted for relative movement lengthwise of said mounting members, saidmounting members References Cited in the file of this patent extendingtransversely of said sheathing units, whereby UNITED STATES PATENTS saidsheathing units are also free to expand and con 1900111 Howard Mar 71933 "actmasldmw 5 2,067,252 Whelan Jan. 12, 1931 3. Apparatus asdefined 1n claim 1, wherem the sheath- 2,114,155 Streich AWL 12' 3 ingunits are disposed in side-by-side relation, the side 7 75 Swanson May2, 1944 ge p t s f i units being of complementary 2,620,906 Ketchum Dec.9, 1952 figuration and slip-fitted with respect to one another to2,655,238 Langvand Oct. 13, 19-53 provide an expansion joint permittingexpansion and 10 2,656,902 Gotshall Oct. 27, 1953 contraction of theunits with respect to one another. 2,694,475 Grafton Nov. 1-6, 1954

